For decades, there was no such thing as a good superhero film from Marvel Comics.

Fans suffered as a bodybuilder painted green played the Hulk. Spider-Man's web looked like a piece of rope bought at Ace Hardware. And the Fantastic Four were so cheap looking, Marvel bought back the rights to the movie.

Then those same fans went to film school, and in a few short years turned everything around.

"People who grew up on comics have become writers, directors, photographers and studio executives," said Marvel Studios head Avi Arad. "There's a whole generation of people whose childhood dream was to bring these things to life."

The improvement in superhero films has been incredible, and seems to have happened overnight.

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Ten years ago, the biggest name working on a Marvel Comics film was Roger Corman, best known for his sex romps, horror flicks and combinations of the two genres.

Marvel's "The Hulk," being shot in the Bay Area now for release next summer,

is directed by Ang Lee -- who directed Oscar showcases such as "Sense and Sensibility" and "The Ice Storm."

Oscar nominee Bryan Singer directed the 2000 feature "X-Men," and the respected Sam Raimi directed "Spider-Man," due for release this week. Both directors were comic-book fans.

Arad was hired as Marvel Studios head in 1993.

He serves as executive producer of each Marvel Comics project, shopping the potential franchises to various studios. His priority is to find people who are interested in making big-budget films that don't hurt the legacy of the comic characters.

Sony is the studio for "Spider-Man," putting close to $100 million into the film. Fox and Universal have made similar commitments with their productions of Marvel's "Daredevil" and "The Hulk."

For years, Marvel faltered with these kinds of films, even as rival D.C. Comics had success with the "Superman" and "Batman" franchises.

Arad said the infusion of comic-loving Hollywood talent along with advances in computer graphics have allowed Marvel to take the lead in comic films. Other Marvel movies in development include "Iron Man" and "Namor the Submariner."

Here is the recent history of Marvel characters in film, from the dreadful past to the brighter future:

"Captain America" (1990): Never released in U.S. theaters, this horrible epic was hated by fans and non-fans alike. The straight-to-video movie stars Matt Salinger (son of J.D.) as the World War II hero who is frozen in ice and thawed in present time. The special effects also looked as if they had come from the 1940s.

"The Fantastic Four" (1992): Another Marvel movie that never made it to theaters, for good reason. Starring no one you've ever heard of and made by Corman, the movie about four humans who get super powers during space travel had a budget of $2 million -- probably lower than the limit on James Cameron's credit card. Arad said he had the movie yanked just months before it was supposed to open in theaters. The rights are now in the hands of a big studio.

"I bought it to bury it," Arad said. "I spent a couple million dollars to buy it and make sure it didn't see light."

"Blade" (1998): Based on a lesser-known comic in the Marvel stable, the saga of vampire hunter Blade was the first recent Marvel success. Produced on a midrange budget of $45 million, the movie made close to $75 million in the United States, paving the way for larger investments in superhero movies. The sequel, "Blade II," is on its way to even bigger box-office numbers.

"X-Men" (2000): The first Marvel blockbuster, "X-Men" took in $54 million during its first weekend, on its way to making more than $150 million in the United States. Fans of the comic, about a team of mutant superheroes, were wary before the film came out. They were worried that the producers would ruin Wolverine, by far Marvel's most popular contemporary superhero. Hugh Jackman nailed that role, and enough people saw the movie to ensure that there'd be an "X-Men II," set to shoot later this year.

"Spider-Man" (2002): This movie had been in development for more than a decade, with a lawsuit in Los Angeles tying up the film rights for most of that time. Once attached to "Titanic" director Cameron, the movie was directed by Raimi, who is a fan of the character and has directed other films with comic-book characters. Set for release this week, "Spider-Man" is one of the most hyped films of the summer.

"Daredevil" (2003): Scheduled for release early next year, "Daredevil" is about a blind lawyer whose other senses are heightened, and who "sees" by radar. The comic is dark, more like "Blade" than "Spider-Man." Comic fan Ben Affleck is playing the lead role, and comic super-fan Kevin Smith has a cameo. But the biggest fan is the writer and director, Mark Steven Johnson.

"He's a huge fan of the series," Arad said. "He lived his life to one day to make 'Daredevil.' "

"The Hulk" (2003): Currently filming in the Bay Area, this film is scheduled for a summer release next year, and Marvel executives have high hopes for a hit. Lee is directing Eric Bana and Jennifer Connelly in this adaptation of the Marvel classic about a scientist who is exposed to gamma rays and turns into a green beast. Arad said studio chiefs were skeptical that Lee would want to make the film. They found out later the director's 17-year- old son is a comic-book artist and his 11-year-old is a Marvel fan.